Adams Mission’s academic bags doctorate
The results of Dr Nomthandazo Manqele's study will help in the preservation of vultures.
A FORMER KwaMkhutha High School learner graduated with a PhD in Ecological Sciences on May 3 from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) after her extensive study on how the use of vultures in traditional medicine is impacting the endangered species.
Dr Nomthandazo Manqele’s relationship with wildlife was sparked after a school trip to Umbogavango Nature Reserve, cementing her desire to pursue a career in the natural sciences.
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According to a statement from the university, Nomthandazo, who is from Adams Mission, was accepted for a Bachelor of Social Sciences in Environmental Management at the institution.
“She progressed to do a Bachelor of Science Honours in Geography and Environmental Management, after which she undertook an internship with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife that provided her with more conservation skills and reinforced her desire to pursue a career in nature conservation,” read the statement.
Her master’s degree assessed the drivers and impacts of illegal hunting for bushmeat and trade in South Africa. She interviewed hunters who killed the animals for their skins, meat and for use in traditional medicine.
“This research spurred her on to her PhD study which looked specifically at the use of vultures, currently the most threatened group of raptors in the world, by traditional healers, focusing on study sites in Zululand,” read the statement.
After the study, she was able to provide feedback to tribal authorities and contribute to the drafting of a management plan for vultures with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment. She has recently taken up a post-doctoral research fellowship at the Vaal University of Technology to examine the impacts and evidence of climate change at World Heritage Sites and its implications for tourism.
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